Hygienic device



Oct. 12, 1937.

P. A. M. BREESE HYGIENIC DEVICE Filed Aug. 18, 1933 INVENTOR PA LA AME/F5565 ATTORNE 3 Patented Oct. 12, 1937 NTIITED STATES This invention relates to personal hygienic devices for women. More particularly, the invention relates to'an absorbent pack-plug for tamponing the vagina to absorb the menstrual flow or other discharges. I

It has, heretofore, been proposed to provide pack-plugs for this purpose which have consisted I of a sponge of some absorbent material disposed within a wrapping or container of foraminous material, such as netting or gauze, which has served to hold the sponge in the shape desired. While such a pack-plug has been relatively easily disposed of by burning, the presence of the foram inous material has rendered the device not as desirable where it is'desired to dispose of the same, whole, in a lavatory water 'closet bowl. Furthermore, the use of a foraminous wrapping has increased the cost of manufacture, both as to the materials entering into the pack-plug and the time and laborinvolved informing the same.

The present invention has for one of its objects a' pack-plug of the character described which is formed of a readily obtainable material and which can be easily shaped and hold its shape in a simple and convenientmanner. Accordingly,

a substantially conical pack-plug is formed, preferably, by folding or rolling sterilized absorbent material such as cotton or a cellulose derivative into the shape desired.

It is also an object of the invention to so treat the pack-plug that itwill hold its shape. To this end, the surface of the pack-plug, after formation, is treated with a layer, either wholly or partly over the entire surface,'of some substance which will readily melt or dissolve at body temperature so as to expose the absorbent material to the discharge of the vagina.

A further object of the invention is to so construct, the pack-plug of this invention as to prevent the passage of discharges therethrough.

Thismay' be conveniently accomplished by disposing within the pack-plug, during its manufacture, one or more substantially moistureproof walls.

'45 The invention also seeks a pack-plug which ca Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view, taken in the plane indicated by the line 2-2 of Figure 1; I

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view, taken in the plane illustrated by the line 3-3 of Figure 5 1 and showing the impervious wall in the packplug; and

Figure 4 shows the strip or pad of absorbentmaterial with cord attached, in extended form prior to rolling. 10

Referring in detail to the drawing, the material 'of which the pack-plug of this invention may be made may be cotton or a cellulose made by chemically treating some fibrous material, such as linen, cotton, wood fibre, as that now commonly 15 used in sanitary napkins, for instance. A layer or pad 4 of such material may (Figure 4) be I rolled into a substantially conical or frusto-conical shape, as shown at 5 in Figures 1 and 2, sum-- cient material being used to form a plug of the 20 desired size and shape to fit comfortably within the walls of the vaginal cavity.

Before the pad is rolled, it is desirable to secure a length i of string or thread to a portion thereof which will be on the inside when the pad is formed 25 into the pack-plug. This may be done by stitching one end of the thread or cord to the material as at 9. Then, when the rolling operation is completed, the other end H of the thread will extend outwardly as a tail which can be used to draw 30 the used pack-plug out of the vagina.

As so formed, it will be noted that the lower .end i3 (as viewed in Figure l) of the pack-plug may also be formed of. substantially inverted conical shape,'if desired, which conforms more nearly 35 to the shape of the vaginal cavity and may, therefore, be worn with greater comfort to the user.

To prevent the escape of discharges from the pack-plug particularly when more or less saturated, it is convenient to include within the same 40 an impervious wall I5, transversely of the packplug and preferably at the point of greatest diameter. Such a wall may be a substantially oval or elliptical disc, say, of waterproofed paper formed with a central hole I! through which the thread H may pass. This disc 15 is inserted during the formation of the pack-plug and some of the material wrapped thereabout so that'the edge of the disc is padded by a surrounding layer IQ of the absorbent material.

In order that the absorbent material may retain its shape, the surface of the pack-plug may be coated either wholly or in part,as by a smear, or layer shown as stippled at 2| of some substance, such as an unction which will hold the fibers of the material together but which, after insertion in the body, will dissolve at body temperatures to expose the material of the pack-plug to the discharges in the vaginal cavity. As illustrations: the surface may be coated with cocoa butter, for instance, or the rolled up pack-plug may be dipped in a saturated solution of borax and water and glycerine. In any event there is only a relatively thin layer or smear of the adhering material so that the surface of the packplug remains soft and pliable. In use the packplug may be held by the lower conical end and be inserted into the vaginal cavity. In position, the walls of the cavity will close around the peripheral surface of largest diameter and over the lower conical end, thereby preventing accidental dislodgment. It may be removed, when used, by simply parting the walls of the opening and drawing it out by the thread.

The pack-plug of this invention may be efiectively disposed of in a lavatory water closet bowl since it will readily disintegrate in the water and be carried away without clogging the plumbing system.

It is to be understood that the pack-plug may be varied in shape and size to suit the comfort and convenience of the user and the requirements to conform with the shape of the cavity in which the pack-plug is to be inserted. Thus the packplug may be made either relatively large, medium or small and may be cylindrical, conical, frustoconical, barrel shaped, etc.

Various modifications will occur to those skilled in the art in the composition and configuration of the various component elements going to make up the invention as a whole as well as in the selection and combination of one or more of the respective elements to meet conditions and no limitation is intended by the phraseology of the foregoing description or illustrations in the accompanying drawing except as indicated of said cord being such that a free end of the cord extends without the plug at that end opposite to which the cord is secured.

2. A sanitary catamenial pack-plug comprising a strip of absorbent material disposed ina spiral formation, an impervious disc transversely of the pack-plug and about which absorbent material is disposed whereby said disc is disposed wholly within material of the pack-plug and a thin smear of unction on the free outer end portion of said strip and the surface of the adjacent layer to cause it to adhere to the plug.

3. A sanitary catamenial pack-plug comprising a strip of absorbent material disposed in a spiral formation, a cord secured to said strip proximate one side edge, an impervious disc transversely of the pack-plug formed with a central aperture, the cord being substantially centrally of the coiled material as a core and material being disposed about the disc whereby said disc is disposed wholly within the material of the pack-plug, a portion of the cord being disposed in the aperture and the length of said cord being such as to extend without the plug at that end opposite to which the cord is secured.

4. The method of manufacturing a sanitary hygienic menstrual pack to be inserted in the vaginal cavity comprising retaining a cord proximate one side edge of an elongated pad of absorbent material, rolling the material about the cord as a core and about an impervious disc through which the cord passes into spiral form with material encircling the edge of the disc and with a free end of the cord protruding from the plug at the opposite end to that at which the cord is retained and applying an unction to the free outer end of said pad to cause it to adhere to the pack-plug.

5. The method of manufacturing a sanitary hygienic menstrual pack to be inserted in the vaginal cavity comprising retaining a cord proximate one side edge of an elongated pad of absorbent material and rolling the material about the cord as'a core in a spiral formation with a free end of the cord protruding from the plug at the opposite end from that at which the cord is retained.

PAULA A. M. BREESE. 

